Comments Off on Pauline van Dongen unveils backpack made with ‘energy harvesting textile’

Dutch designer Pauline van Dongen has made a name for herself designing wearable technology and now she’s back with a stunning solar-harvesting backpack. The Radius is made from a single piece of knitted fabric embedded with tiny solar power beads , which enables the backpack to charge devices while on the go. The Radius backpack builds on the energy-generating technology that Van Dongen is known for using in her collections. The bag’ strap is embedded with solar-powered technology using tiny little solar beads. The strap runs the length of the stylish bag. Related: This gorgeous t-shirt is a glamorous way to charge your phone with solar power “From afar, [the strap] appears to blend with the knit of the top lid. But a closer look reveals how light breaks on a beaded surface,” said the designer. “This magical material holds secret powers: each bead is a tiny spherical solar cell that is woven into the fabric, creating a unique energy harvesting textile.” Dongen collaborated on the solar backpack with designer Eva de Laat to create the bag’s fabric, which is made from a single knitted piece of material. Developed at the Santoni research lab in Shanghai, the revolutionary textile is actually a three-dimensional fabric made out of different yarns using a data-driven knitting machine . The result is a ribbed fabric that is not only decorative, but adds extra padding to the back and shoulder straps for extra comfort. + Pauline van Dongen Via Dezeen Photography by Ola Krondahl

Comments Off on Score one of 4 solar-powered Voltaic Converter backpacks in Inhabitats Back to School Contest

With summer coming to a close, it’s back-to-school time for many students – but it doesn’t have to be a drag. We’ve teamed up with Voltaic to give four lucky readers an amazing solar backpack for their return to the studious life! Voltaic’s newly launched Converter backpack charges your phone and other USB devices using built-in solar panels , so you’ll never run out of juice between classes – and a single hour in the sun provides three hours of smartphone use. We’re giving away four backpacks over four weeks of August, so enter today! a Rafflecopter giveaway Voltaic is constantly reinventing itself with some of the coolest solar products out there, and this new backpack ranks high on their list of innovations. At a relatively low price point of $129, the Converter backpack is a great deal for what you’re getting. With a battery in your backpack, and a 5-watt solar panel that can fully charge a smartphone after three hours in the sun, you’ll never run out of juice again. The battery can also be charged via the grid, and the backpack is packed with even more useful features beyond its solar capability. Made of recycled PET , the Converter is large enough to accommodate a 15″ laptop and comes with a couple of extra pockets – including plenty of storage for all your cables and adapters. It’s waterproof, lightweight and UV resistant, and high-density padding in the shoulder straps and back make it super comfortable to wear – even for a day trip in the great outdoors. We’ll be announcing our winners in our newsletter on 8/11, 8/18, 8/25, and 9/1, so sign up now for your chance to take one of these beauties home! That said, we’re only shipping to US addresses, so please keep that in mind when you enter. Good luck! + Voltaic

Comments Off on These clever backpacks charge your devices with built-in solar power

Everyone has experienced the frustration of being on the go and needing to use your phone, only to find that it is completely dead. Project Solaire is changing that with these innovative solar backpacks. These simple packs capture sunlight as you go about your day so that you can charge your smartphone, camera or tablet when you need them most. READ MORE > Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: on the go solar charging , portable solar power , Project Solaire , Project Solaire solar backpack , soar power charging , Solar Backpack , solar device charging , solar phone charging , Solar Power

Comments Off on New study shows that hand-washing dishes may help prevent allergies

Could dishwashers cause allergies? A recent study found that children who come from homes where dishes are washed by hand have fewer allergies than those in homes where the dishes are washed by machine. Although the research is still in its infant stages, it is an interesting starting point for solving modern allergies. READ MORE > Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: allergies , cause of allergies , childhood allergies , dish washing , dish washing allergies , dishwasher allergies , dishwashing allergies , germs and allergies , hand washing , hand washing allergies , modern allergies , what causes allergies

Photo via Shutterstock Spanish scientists have developed the world’s first self-healing polymer – a plastic that can be cut in half and then left to repair itself without any outside intervention. Nicknamed “Terminator” after the shape-shifting T-100 robot in the film “Terminator 2,” the polymer could be used to help everyday items last longer through normal wear and tear. This could reduce the amount of broken products sent to landfills and help avoid costly repairs. Check out a video of the plastic in action after the jump. Read the rest of Scientists Create World’s First Self-Healing Plastic Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: plastic that repairs itself , reducing landfill waste , self healing polymer , self repairing plastic , Self-Healing Plastic , Spanish scientists , Terminator , terminator plastic

Living in a big city is difficult enough without having to worry about walking outside and getting hit in the face with a dying pigeon . The Russian capital of Moscow has become inundated with sick birds that become disoriented, spiraling around without a sense of direction and whacking into people’s heads — a phenomenon that some news outlets have dubbed the “pigeon apocalypse.” As the Guardian reports, the most likely culprit for the feathered assaults is an outbreak of Newcastle disease , a contagious avian bug that is also transmittable to humans but is not fatal. Read the rest of ‘Zombie’ Pigeons are Falling from the Sky in Moscow Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: above average temperatures , end times , global warming , Moscow , newcaslte disease , rasputin , russia , salmonella infection , The Guardian , zombie apocalypse , zombie pigeons

Comments Off on The SolarGoPack is a Solar-Powered Backpack for Tech-Savvy Adventurers

Are you an adventurer that always likes to be connected while travelling the world? Finding a plug in the middle of a forest is about as likely as spotting a penguin, but you can still easily keep your favorite gadgets fully charged with the SolarGoPack . With a simple and convenient design that’s also durable, this handy backpack is the perfect companion for all travel excursions. The SolarGoPack features a powerful solar panel that charges a lithium-ion battery that can charge just about any device. + SolarGoPack The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat ? Send us a tip by following this link . Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: high tech bags , Solar Backpack , solar bag , solar powered backpack , solar powered bag , solargopack

The dream of going wireless with a laptop or iPad becomes pretty meaningless when reality hits and your left with a battery drained to nothing. But Voltaic ‘s new solar backpack brings things back into balance, giving you the option to recharge your laptop and other gadgets even if the sun isn’t shining! Incorporating a battery with a sewn in 10 watt monocrystal solar module, the setup has two power ports and four voltage settings connected to the 60 watt battery. The new backpack gives you the ability to recharge just about any portable device whenever you need to. Read the rest of Voltaic Introduces High-Powered Solar Backpacks That Charge Laptops! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Array solar backpack , Fuse solar charging , green portable power , Recycled Materials , Solar Backpack , solar ipad charger , solar laptop charger , solar pack , Voltaic power pack